dispense with some ornamental article of dress, or even, though not ornamental, superfluous, or one which would admit of a cheaper substitute, without forgetting the proprieties of station; for the purpose of procuring some lasting and more valuable possession, and, à fortiori, with the view of relieving the ignorance, or the vice, or the distresses of others, it will learn a lesson of selfgovernment, which will exercise the principle, and diffuse its influence through the remainder of life; so true is it, that "there is that maketh himself poor; yet hath great riches." Proverbs xiii. 7. "Wo unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work; that saith, I will build me a wide house, and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is ceiled with cedar, and painted with vermillion. Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? Did not thy father eat and drink, and do justice and judgment, and then it was well with him? He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him; was not this to know me, saith the Lord? But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence to do it." Jeremiah xxii. 13-17.

SECTION II.-Of Anger-of Hatred-of Resentment of Vengeance.

a. Of Anger.

ANGER is a restless passion :-"Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous." Proverbs xxvii. 4. It disturbs the equilibrium of the bodily functions, produces violent commotion in the digestive system, disorders the intellectual faculties, agitates the mind, and drives it from its centre of peace and hope; its turbulent waves break over the soul, overwhelm its recollection, subdue, and cause it to be carried away by its impulse; the government of self is entirely lost; the conduct it occasions is unjust; it is founded on feeling, and that, sinful feeling, instead of on reason, and that reason guided by revelation. If then its immediate influence upon the body, be to produce disease, to excite irritation of the brain, and unfit that organ for its peculiar and appropriate function, the manifestations of mind, and the acquisition and enlargement of intelligence: if it subvert the influence of good principle, and destroy the rest and peace of the Christian bosom; if he be driven by it from his dependence upon his faithful Protector; and if he suffer his confidence to be tossed on the surface of this stormy passion, and even to be lost in its mighty billows; if he lose the possession of himself, and be provoked to act towards others, as he would not wish to be acted by; and if for

getful of the laws of God, he should allow himself to be guided by the blind impetus of wounded self-love, surely, can he be angry and sin not? can he be too soon, or too sedulously employed in counteracting this baneful tendency?

Anger is extensive in its influence, and mischievous in its consequences; it requires to be opposed in every form and degree, and demands unceasing watchfulness. It soon betrays its existence in the bosom of infancy, and concentrates upon itself much maternal management. "The discretion of a man deferreth his anger and it is his glory to pass over a transgression." Proverbs xix. 11. 66 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty." Proverbs xvi. 32. But the discretion of infancy is a principle in embryo; and although its development will form a part of christian education, yet it is not to be relied upon as a barrier to wrath, and the irascibility of the young is one of their earliest mental manifestations. Their anger is not deferred; neither is it slowly produced; for no sooner is the occasion presented, than this passion is excited, and then, "behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth;" affection and principle yield before the impetuous torrent, and during its continuance, the individual can no longer be considered as of sound mind, but as subjected to a paroxysm so nearly bordering on insanity, that it should excite in our minds, all the horror of that fearful malady, yet without an equal degree of commiseration for its victims; the difference consisting in this, that while the

one is a visitation of Providence, the other is a voluntary infliction. It must be recollected, however, that some children are much more prone to anger than others; and that this, so far as it consists in original predisposition, is the expression of peculiarity of physical temperament. But when this is the case, there is the greater need for that discretion which defers anger, and for that slowness to passion, which is an engine of so great power, in calming the irritated waves of a stormy

ocean.

The predispositions to evil, form a source of our trial and temptation-of our victory or defeat: they are many of them dependent upon constitutional tendency, and they are pretty evenly distributed; so that individuals are generally characterized by their influence, and commonly possess an equal share of principles (though constantly varying in their complexion) which require encouragement, or demand opposition. None therefore need complain; and none need excuse themselves on the ground of original bias; for this forms a part of that system of probation in which we live; and man has been furnished with the power of choosing good, and opposing evil; and has received principles, which if he will but exercise them, will enable him to subdue the predisposition towards evil. And in addition to this, the word of unerring truth has been given him as a sure and certain guide to rectitude of principle, and uprightness of conduct; together with a promise that the grace of God shall be sufficient for

every emergency. And with such a provision of strength, and such kind assurances of support, there can be no ground for supineness in resisting anger, no excuse for readily admitting its incursions.

Anger usually arises in consequence of some supposed positive injury, or negatively from the consciousness, or even the suspicion, of a want of sufficient attention to our wishes and desires, or even our self-created necessities. It is very generally unjust; and depends on our own improper ideas of the magnitude of our wants, and of the right to expect immediate compliance with them. It is also associated with a group of malignant passions; and unless wrestled with, and successfully opposed, it will increase in its demands, it will come to be excited on the most trivial occasions, and it will disturb the social peace of all around, disorder the constitutional health, destroy the harmony of the paternal government, unfit the mind for serious study, sap the foundation of relative and kindred interest, blast the growth of the kindlier affections, break the laws of God, and assimilate man by his ferocity to the beasts which perish.

The returns of anger are to be prevented by shewing the injustice, impropriety, sinfulness, and evil consequences of the passion; by teaching the necessity of bearing with slight or supposed injuries; by enforcing the duty of frequently sacrificing our own ideal comfort to the real interests of others; by inculcating the advantage of considering the causes and grounds